“Not exactly!” said Gilks, bitterly; “but I’ve come round to letting the cad alone. What’s the good of bothering?”
“And you mean to say you’d let him go on knowing who the fellow is who cut the rudder-lines of our boat, and not make him say who it is?”
“I expect that’s all stuff about his knowing at all,” said Gilks.
“Not it! Between you and me, I fancy he’s had a tip from somewhere.”
“He has? Bah! don’t you believe it. He’d like to make believe he knows all about it. It would pay, you know.”
“But every one thinks he knows.”
“Not he! He would have told the fellow’s name long ago. Whatever object would he have in keeping it back?”
“Oh! I don’t know. He says some gammon about not being quite sure. But he’s had time enough to be sure by now.”
Gilks walked on in silence for a little, and then inquired, “And suppose you did get to know who it was, what would be the use?”
“The use!” exclaimed Wibberly, in amazement. “Why, what do you mean? By Jove, I’m sorry for the fellow when he turns up. He’ll soon find out the use of it.”